Chip holder



H. J. O'BRIEN.

Sept. 9, 1924.

- CHIP HOLDER Filed Jan. 30. 1924 F'IEE.

HBEBEET J DEE/EN d MJW WITNESS.

Patented Sept. 9, 1.9245

00.. INC., 013 SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A

, HERBERT J'. OBILIEN, 015? SAN FRANCISGO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGN 'OR 'IOLUNG CHAN CORPORATION '33 CALIFORNIA.

CHIP "HOLDER.

Application filed January 30, 1924;. Serial No. 689,509.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HERBERT J. OBRIEN, acitizen of the United States, and a resi dent of the city and county ofSan Francisco, State of California, have invented a certain new anduseful Chip Holder, of

which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a holder for holding counters or chips used inplaying games. The holder is particularly adapted to be used in holdingdisklike counters or chips which are used in scoring in the now popularoriental game sometimes known as Mah-Jongg in which tiles are drawn froma wall to complete a hand consisting of cer tain prescribed arrangementsthe person obtaining the prescribed hand first, being declared thewinner and being entitled from the other players an amount representedby the value of the winning hand. In this game, scores are settled atthe end of each hand by an interchange of counters or chips between theplayers sothat'it is necessary that the counters be disposed in suchmanner that they are readily available to the players. This game isplayed with a large number of tiles which are usually arranged in fourdrawers fitting in a box. Below the tile drawers is a deep drawer inwhich the chips are contained. An object of the present invention is toprovide a foldable or collapsible chip holder which, when in its foldedposition, will readily fit into the bottom drawer in the box, theholders being of such size that four folded holders will fit into thedrawer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a folding chip holderwhich is of such construction that when folded,the chips may not becomedisplaced from the'holder.

Another object of the invention is to provide a chip holder having meansfor indicating the number of chips constituting the original or initialstake, that is, the number of chips the player begins the game with.

The invention possesses other advantageous features, some of which, withthe foregoing, will be set forth at length in the following description,where I shall outline in full that form of my invention which I haveselected for illustration in the drawings accompanying and forming partof the present specification. In said drawings I have shown one form ofholder embodying my in vention, but it is to be understood that I do notlimit myself to such form, since the in-- ing the initial stake arrangedon the holder.

Figure 2 is a cross-section of the holder taken on the line 2-2 Figure1, the chips being removed. 1

Figure 3 is a cross-section of the holder taken on the line 3-3 Figure1, the'holder being in the folded or collapsed position.

The holder of my invention comprises a base 4 preferably formed of sheetmetal, having integral side walls 5 extending upward above the base.Pivoted to the side walls, preferably by pivots disposed in sub.stantial vertical alinement with the rear end of the base, is a holdermember comprising the plate 6 and a. plurality of pegs 7 The plate 6 ispivoted at its rear edge to the side walls 5 so that the pegs 7 aremovable from a vertical position as is shown in Figure% to thehorizontal position as is shown in Figure 3.

Means are provided for holdingv the holder member-in vertical positionand in horizontal position. This means, in the present instance.comprises an arcuate spring 8 arranged concentrically with the pivot ofthe holder member 6 and secured to one of the side walls 5. The springSis disposed between the side edge of the plate 6 and the side wall 5and the spring is provided adjacent its ends with projecting portions 9over which the edge of the plate rides as the plate ismoved fromhorizontal to vertical position. The edge of the plate moves past theextending portion of the spring so that the spring tends to hold theholder member in the position into which it has been moved.

In playing the game, chips of four different values are usually employedand these chips are usually distinguished from each other by differencein color or other marking. In the present instance the chips compriseperforated disklike elements, usually formed of sheet metal, and coloreddifferently to represent different values. The chips are provided withcentral apertures to perniit them to be threaded onto and readilyremovable from the pegs 7. in playing the game, each player usuallystarts with a pre determined number of chips off each value, that is,usually ten of one value, eight each of the next two values and sixotthe fourth value; In order to permit the proper nuinber of chips to bearranged on the pegs, without the necessity of counting the chips, Ihave provided each peg with a marl: or indentation 12 to indicate theproper number of chips to be initially held on the re spective pegs.When the stack of chips reaches the mark '12, the player knows that suchstack contains the proper number of chips.

The side Walls 5 are provided along their upper edges with inturnedshoulders 13 against which the plate 6 is held by the spring" 8. thusfirmly locking the holder member in position with the pegs verticallydisposed. Means are also provided for preventing the chips from becomingdisplaced from the pegs when the rack member has been folded to bringthe pegs to horizontal position. The base 4 is provided alone; its frontedge with an inturned lip 14 behind which the chips rest, when the pe sare horizontally disposed, so that the chips are held on the pegsbetween the lip 14 and the plate 6, thereby preventing theirdisplacement. The base is preferably so proportioned, that with theproper initial number of chips on the pegs, that the counters lie in aninclined position when the pegs are horizontally d sposed, as shown inFigure 3. This decreases the over-all height of the filled holders sothat they may be readily inserted into the drawer in the boX. The holderoffers the further advantage, that, when it is in. folded condition, itis not liable to be pushed oil? the table on which the game is beingplayed, since its vertical dimension is quite small and, it it is sodisplaced from the table. the chips will be held on the holder and notscattered on the floor.

I claim:

- 1-. A chip holder comprising; a base. side walls extending upward fromsaid base, a plate pivoted to said side walls above the rear portion ofsaid base and adapted to be moved from horizontal to. vertical positionand vice versa pegs secured to said plate aoaase and resilient means forholding the plate in horizontal position.

2. it chip holder comprising a: base, side walls extending upwardly fromsaid base,

a holder comprising a plate and plurality of pegs secured thereto, saidholder being pivoted to the side walls and being movable tosimultaneously move all of the pegs from horizontal to vertical positionand vice versa. each peg being adapted to hold a plura of chips andmeans on the base for hold the chips on the pegs when the pegs are inhorizontal position.

A chip holder comprising a base, side walls extending upwardly from saidbase, a holder pivoted to the side walls above the rear portion of thebase, said holder coniprising a plate and a plurality of: pens curedthereto, said holder being movable to move the pegs from horizontal tovertical position and vice versa, the pegs being: adapted to hold aplurality of chips and a 7 turned up lip on the front of the base arranged to hold the chips on the pegs when the pegs are in horizontalposition.

4. A chip holder comprising a base, sidiwalls extending upwardly fromthe base. a holder comprising a plate and a plurality oi pegs securedthereto, the holder beins: pivoted to the side walls above the rear P01tion of the base, said holder being movable to move the pegs from ahorizontal to a vertical position and vice versa, resilient means forholding the holder with the peas in the horizontal and verticalpositions, said pegs being adapted to hold a plurality of chips and anoverhanging lip on the front of the base arranged to hold the chips onthe pegs when the pegs are in a horizontal po sition.

5. A chip holder comprising a base. a holder comprising a. plate andpluralitv o pegs secured thereto, the holder being pin oted to saidbase, said holder being movable with respect to the base to dispose thepegs in a horizontal or vertical position each pen being adapted to holda plurality of chips and means on the base adapted to preventdisplacement of the chips from the pegs when the pegs are in horizontalposition.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

HERBERT J. QBRIEN.

